Coyle Happy With Scream Machine Ahead Of Winter Challenge

Scream Machine has been in excellent form this preparation and trainer Jason Coyle is happy with the condition of the talented gelding ahead of the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens this weekend.

Scream Machine will start the 2014 Winter Challenge at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as one of the favourites. Photo by: Steve Hart

The Excites gelding finished an impressive sixth in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1350m) on May 24 and scored two straight wins in the Sydney Markets Limited Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on June 14 and the Natski Handicap (1600m) at the same venue on June 28 before finishing third behind Generalife in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m) on July 19.

Coyle told Racing Ahead yesterday that he was happy with Scream Machine’s performance in the Winter Stakes and is confident that he can produce another strong effort in the Winter Challenge on Saturday.

“His form is terrific and he pulled up really well from his last run,” Coyle said.

“His work this morning on the Warwick Farm course proper was as strong as ever, so I am really happy with the way the horse is going.

“I think that Generalife is definitely a horse on the way up and he looks like he is going to play some hand in either the Spring Carnival or the autumn down the track.

“My bloke ran a really good race behind him; we drew wide and although he does get back, we probably could have sat a bit closer to him from a nice draw, but unfortunately that didn’t pan out.

“His final couple of sectionals were really good.”

Scream Machine has shown plenty of versatility during his racing career and has won from 1400 metres to 2000 metres, but has been kept to sprinting trips during his winter preparation.

Coyle said that he decided to keep Scream Machine over shorter distances this campaign and confirmed that the five-year-old was likely to remain over similar distances as long as he is able to such good form.

“It has been one of his most consistent preparations,” Coyle said.

“I made a decision this preparation to leave him at the shorter trips and not stretch him out to 2000 and it has played a role in how good his form has been.

“Whether he gets out to 2000 metres at some stage in his next preparation that will be something that we will look at, but if he can hold this sort of form we will stick with this blueprint.”

Scream Machine is set to head to the spelling paddock after running in the Winter Challenge this weekend, but could remain in work for a tilt at the Group 2 Warwick Stakes(1400m) at Royal Randwick on August 23.

Author: Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.